Shiori Usui & 薄井史織

Co-created and performed in the beautiful and bold sensory theatre show for neurodiverse teenagers.

Photo credit: Tiu Makkonen

Pictures from the most recent R&D for a sensory theatre show happening in hydro-therapy pool at Kingspark school, Dundee, Scotland.

Photos by Jassy Earl
Produced by Independent Arts Projects

Artists involved:
Kirstin Abraham, Nik Paget-Tomlinson, Greg Sinclaire, Claire Willoughby & Ceylan Hay

Fantastic time performing in Float!

A Starcatchers production by Kerry Cleland and company

Float is a beautiful shimmering world for babies from birth to 12 months old and their grown-ups. You are invited to relax with your baby in a beautiful, calm space inspired by the healing properties of water.

What a wonderful time we shared with the babies and their carers in Kerry Cleland‘s Float (work-in-progress performance installation for babies and their carers) at The Warehouse, Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh in the first weekend of May.

So grateful to have a chance to work with super talented, dedicated, kind and fun humans too. Until the next time!

Supported by Starcatchers.

Artists involved: Kerry Cleland, Hayley Earlam, Hailey Beavis, Alison Brown, Katy Wilson, Ben Winger & Shiori Usui

Huge thank you to Imaginate (https://www.imaginate.org.uk/) for helping me to start developing ideas for my sensory theter show for/with disabled young people in hydropool in 2022!

I was very fortunate to be able to have two R&Ds at Kingspark School in Dundee in Spring and Hazelwood school in Glasgow in Autumn 2022 with some incredible artists including;

• John Kenny (trombone), Dave House (sound design), Naomi O Kelly (dramaturge) and Max Alexander (observation/advice) for Kingspark school R&D
• Bal Cook (sound design), Claire Willoughby (musician/theater maker), Marc Brew (choreography advice), Sam Vaherlehto (dancer), Johanna Young (dancer), Max Alexander (observation/advice) and Nic Green (dramaturge/director) for Hazelwood school R&D.

Watch this space for further development of work with Independent Arts Projects and Oily Cart!

I am really honoured and humbled to receive such an amazing award with such a wonderful group of artists!

The full details can be found HERE:

(This photo was take by fantastic Emile Holba)

And here is my statement 🙂

I am thrilled to receive this generous award. I am also grateful to the people who have supported and encouraged me in my career. Without them, I would not be where I am now. The award will open up so many possibilities. As a composer, it will help me create a more collaborative working environment. Particularly, I feel passionate about creating works for and with neuro-diverse audiences, babies/toddlers and their carers and people in later life care. As a mother of very young lives, the award will also help me to work more flexibly. I would like to create positive energy cycles that reach as many people as possible.

It’s been really wonderful to work with the Kepten Trio! What a performance!
Watch the video HERE:

Commissioned by Chamber Music Scotland.
Film by Anne Milne.

Really happy that “Deep” is going to be peformed again by BCMG as a part of PRS Foundation’s Resonate programme.

UK orchestras to champion 11 of the best pieces of British orchestral music from the past 25 years through PRS Foundation’s Resonate programme.

You can read about more from HERE.

I am really excited to start working on a new piece “The Silent Forest”, commission by BCMG (Birmingham Contemporary Music Group) and AYM (Awards for Young Musicians). It will be premiered in Birmingham, UK on 17th November 2019.  🙂

I spent a really brilliant and fun week in the last week of November, working with wonderful Ellie Griffiths (Upfront Performance Network), Greg Sinclair and Joe Wright, creating a new sound theater work in collaboration with young people with autistic spectrum. Watch this space for more news! 🙂